


Olfin "Fin" Zarium

by stumphclub



Category: Dungeons & Dragons (Roleplaying Game), Dungeons & Dragons - All Media Types
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-11
Updated: 2020-04-11
Packaged: 2021-03-01 18:08:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,007
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23591338
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stumphclub/pseuds/stumphclub
Summary: The backstory of the half-orc, half-elf fighter.
Kudos: 1
Collections: Dungeons and Dragon exploits





	Olfin "Fin" Zarium

On the south side of the Saphis Ocean, where the vineyards are lush and the mountains are steep, the two are barely a day’s walk apart. Near the base of the mountains a long-standing, hardy Orc clan dwells. This clan specifically was known to branch off to travel and mingle with other races on more than one occasion, thriving alongside civilization. 

In the vineyards past the base of the mountains live the high elves, enjoying their lush and noble ways. As the orcs had never acted violent or caused trouble, they were never bothered by the elves or vice versa. 

Eventually, Olfin’s father Varbuk, who also happened to be the leader of the Orcish clan requested an appearance with the Elvish council to form an alliance. The orcs could bring brawny strength to the table, and the elves had magic. They could protect the nation with combined forces if they needed to. An alliance was made and, in the process, Varbuk managed to bed a member of the High Elves’ council, Fiannon, bringing Olfin into the world. 

With the alliance formed and the prejudice continuously fading, Olfin was always free to move between his father’s crowded Orc clan and mother’s spacious living quarters. Both offered wildly different life lessons - strength and ruthlessness, precision and wisdom, so Olfin often migrated between the two at will. 

Before Fin was even a thought, two other children were born first. Lorelei, Olfin’s half-sister and full fledged high-elf was already nearing 100 when Fin came around. Her blood father had long since passed by then. She was always kind and patient with him and acted almost as a mentor. She was the one who taught him how to control his temper from an early age, and also the one to teach him how to read. 

About 6 years before the orc-elf alliance was sealed, Varbuk conceived a child with a member of his clan, taking the male child and discarding the woman. Borug was a full fledged orc and Fin’s half-brother. He was destined to lead the clan when Varbuk passed and that had always been the plan. Fin proved himself a fairly even match to his older brother early on, and he and Borug have got on ever since. They spent their childhoods rough housing and testing the strength of each other’s wills with stupid contests that often resulted in broken bones. It was between Borug and his father that Olfin learned to fight like a true soldier. This is where Fin acquired his first scars on his shoulder and legs, and he wore them with pride. 

With a nearly 100 year old Elvish half-sister and 6 year old Orcish half-brother, Fin was born. For a while it was just the 3 of them navigating a strange and unlikely childhood, and Fin was the only Half-Orc for a long time. He was the connecting piece between his families, realizing early on that his sister didn’t actually come into contact with his brother all that often. 

By the time Fin had turned 8 and his brother 14, Borug was in training to eventually take over the clan. In turn, Varbuk often left the tribe to be led by Borug in order to test his eldest son as well as spend time in the vineyards with Fiannon. As a result of this, the High-Elf eventually ended up bearing two more children, twin half-orc boys. 

Both shocked and somewhat relieved that he was no longer the only half-orc, the unlikely family welcomed Gotomir & Mukmir to the world. Olfin felt mostly neutral about the new additions to the family, he was closer with his pre-existing siblings. He started to spend a lot of his time clinging to Lorelei to avoid the twins. 

As he grew older and his responsibilities and expectations from the Orc tribe grew, Fin chose the higher path and assisted his brother and father in training the twins. With them, it didn’t come naturally as it had with himself - Gotomir was decent but had to put in 300% to make progress, and Mukmir seemed downright uninterested at the best of times. 

Mukmir’s disrespect for the art of fighting disgusted Fin and he grew to truly loathe his younger brother. However, Gotomir’s drive and genuine efforts impressed and won Fin’s respect-he definitely had a favourite twin. Eventually he began one-on-one training sessions with Goto, leaving Muk to the devices of their older half-brother; Fin wanted nothing to do with the rotten twin. 

Fiannon’s affection was craved by all four of her children, but she favoured her daughter and first son the most. She had a plethora of responsibilities in the Elvish community what with being on the high council, but whenever Olfin migrated to the vineyards, she made an effort to at least have tea with him each visit—his other siblings, less so. Nearing 300, past the halfway mark of her life, she was still radiant and her motherly touch was ever so soothing. Whenever he ended up away from home, Fin would catch himself imagining his mother’s hand on his cheek. 

Varbuk was much more abrasive than Fiannon, taking the tough-love route. He rewarded Olfin with scars to be proud of and taught him the art of the battleaxe. Fin enjoyed his father’s company equally as much as his mother’s, drinking in his father’s might with awe, and working hard to perfect the moves he was taught. He was tested numerous times in front of the entire clan, made to fight various monsters and always coming out the stronger man. His father was setting him up for success without his knowing, and although he showed his pride for Olfin in peculiar ways, it was there. 

As Olfin matured, he remained steadily loyal to both sides of his family, a homebody with the desire to repay his family for protecting him all through his youth. His didn’t have time to even think about finding a partner let alone settle down, he was too busy serving. 

When Fin turned 15, he was recommended by his mother to the High Council for delivery work. The work was dangerous, strenuous, and required combat and self Defense skill, and Olfin was more than eager to oblige. He started with a group of delivery men but soon proved to be superior and lacked the need for excessive backup. He often travelled with just his older brother (who was now running the Orc clan alongside their father), content with traveling across the map to deliver various parcels to various people. He gained cultural and hardy life experiences, spending more than 5 years travelling on behalf of the High Elves, convinced that this was what he would be able to do forever. 

As all things must come to an end, hard times hit the nation and deliveries were halted - bigger issues were at hand. It was then that Lorelei told Fin the legend of the fey, how god-like beings attempted to control their magic and how the fey revolted and scattered, nearly destroying the floating islands. No one from their generation was known to access the floating islands, and not many people aside from the most elderly high elves are even sure if the islands exist. She told Fin the legend of the first Great War of the fey v. Light and how they were said to have held their own, driving the beings off seemingly for good and protecting their magic. 

It was now, however, that the High Council received word that a good number of Aarokocra had gotten wind of the legend and taken it upon themselves to try and hunt down fey on behalf of the god-like intruders. They were ruthless in their ways and had no remorse when it came to devastating communities to get to the fey. The high elves believed it their duty to fight on behalf of the fey what with having utilized so much natural magic in their practices. In turn, it was Varbuk’s Clan’s responsibility to stay true to their binding alliance and fight alongside the Elves. 

Lorelei grasped Olfin’s hands, her face hardening as she explained this to her favourite brother, warning him that they were ramping up for war and that he should be proud to be on the right side of history, that if he did right by them and enlisted, she would be behind him fighting just as hard. Olfin took comfort in this and when his father inevitably announced to the clan that it was time to enlist and that doing so was mandatory, he was one of the first to enlist, and never once did he blame Lorelei for the hardships of war. 

As groups of elves and orcs began to head to war, Olfin (22), Borug (28), Mukmir and Gotomir (14) prepared themselves to serve and awaited their turn to ship out to the northern side of the ocean. Just days before their time arrived to leave, Mukmir disappeared. He left a poorly scrawled note that read, “can’t do it.” He told no one of his plans to flee and apparently executed the plans properly - Olfin hasn’t seen him since. Once again, his disgraceful younger brother had shamed the family in the worst possible way by refusing to serve, and Muk damn well knew not to show his face ever again, for he would be killed by his clan and, at the very least, shit-kicked by Olfin. 

Down one family member, the men headed to war and Olfin took solice in knowing his mother and sister were fighting in the back lines, safe from harm and casting powerful magic to defend the fey‘s legacy. Olfin spent nearly 30 years at war with his family, his responsibilities shifting from front-line combat to resource relief, to a brief career in blacksmithing, etc. Fin did not complain; he was stoic and accepting, providing where he was needed. 

About 10 years into the hardship, the co-head of the Orcish clan, Borug, was lost to the war. With his own eyes, Olfin watched as Borug slayed three Aarokocra with one slice of his crested long sword, only to turn around and find his throat meeting with the savage talons of a fourth. Fin had witnessed the jugular being ripped from one of the men he looked up to most. 

He then went into a frenzy, fighting even harder and more recklessly alongside Gotomir—he refused to lose all of his brothers to the war. There was one close call that had Olfin within inches of his life; Gotomir nearly met the same fate as Borug when Olfin pushed him out of the way just in time. The Aarakocra’s talons connected instead with Fin’s face, leaving three parallel scars across his left cheek, nose, and forehead. It was only because of the initial deflection of the talons that Olfin didn’t lose his own life. If Fin had learned anything about life while at war, it was that he truly would die for the people he cared about before he saw another sibling perish. He kept true to that ideal, making sure Gotomir survived to see the end of the war, slaving alongside him to defend the fey for decades. 

The orcs had lost a lot of people during the war, but the Aarokocra lost more. Between the elves’ powerful magic and the orcs’ brute strength, the Aarokocra had no choice but to finally retreat and allow the fey to rest peacefully once again. Olfin and Gotomir emerged from the war scar-ridden and hardened, closer than ever. It was incredible to finally reunite with his sister, mother, and father and to find that they were unharmed as well. It was so strange to see them all after so long - everyone seemed as though the war had aged them 100 years and Olfin realized he probably came off the same.

Upon returning home, the elves had patching up to do across the nation and the orcs had to recoup, heal and strengthen their clan. Both sides had taken a serious blow. Olfin was the one to deliver the shocking news of his older brother’s death. He spared the details and stood there envisioning Borug’s death on repeat as his father howled. One of the twins was AWOL, and the son that was next in charge of the clan was dead. 

Varbuk eventually lifted his head towards Fin, speaking in gruff Orcish. “You realize what this means...” Olfin was next in line to lead the tribe. “We will need to begin rehabilitation immediately. Please, summon your sister for healing...” and so on. 

Healing and reproduction to get the clan somewhat back to normalcy took nearly 5 years. Gotomir had children with a member of the clan, Olfin maintained that he was too pre-occupied to father anyone. Varbuk commanded Olfin to stand beside him and assist, and Olfin in turn put some of the burden on Gotomir. His younger brother took the responsibility with grace, making rounds and checking in with each family almost daily. They grew to trust Gotomir, and Fin truly felt gratitude towards him for being the face of regrowth. The years where he childishly avoided the twins felt like a lifetime ago, they were so much bigger than any of that now. 

Fin’s father had truly grown old during the war. When it finally ended, they knew that he naturally didn’t have much longer and as the tribe once again grew stronger, Varbuk grew weaker. When he finally passed, he left instructions for Olfin to take lead and knowledge of resources he could use. In addition, he left his prized battle-axe for Fin to wield. 

A month or so after Varbuk was lain to rest and respective loose ends were tied up, Olfin sat down with his brother to discuss the nature of the tribe. The weight had been on Fin for so long from both sides of the family and he was now well past 50, he felt he could go no further. He explained that Gotomir had children here to carry the legacy, real ties, that the community loved and trusted him—he was younger with a better vision for the tribe, and he deserved to lead. Once again Fin’s brother came through, relinquishing him of his duties to the tribe and freeing him to do as he wished. They parted ways with an uncommon hug and Olfin promised to check back in and visit someday, genuinely intending to. He had nothing but respect and fondness towards Gotomir. 

Olfin migrated for one of the last times to the vineyards, seeking warmth and clarity from his mother and sister. He had spent so long serving the family that he felt as though he had lost himself. He craved to bathe in the sun and read books, play dragonchess, drink wine with his kin, have deep and existential conversations, reinvent himself again. 

During the 5 years the orcs were rehabilitating, the high elves had been travelling to assist the restoration in communities that didn’t have the manpower to do it alone. Lorelei had met a Dragonborn while abroad and gave birth to a child that was half elvish, half dragonborn. Half of the child’s face tethered from smooth pale skin into shiny green scales, one eye piercing blue and the other yellow with a catlike pupil. The father rejected it but Lorelei embraced her son, raising him in the vineyards. 

Olfin met the child when he was only an infant, immediately falling in love with him. He cherished the baby, joyous to spend time with his sister and nephew. Whenever Olfin tenderly held the baby, he never cried—this was one of the few times Olfin had not scared a child outside of his clan despite the fact that he loved small children. 

Olfin slowly found himself growing and healing, and the baby unknowingly took a huge part in that. It was after 3 years of peace in the vineyards that Olfin felt ready to spread his wings and travel for pleasure for the first time in his life. His mother embraced him and he experienced a teary goodbye with his sister and nephew, once again vowing to visit someday. His mother revered him and promised he was welcome back to the Elvish lands even if she were to pass. She said that he had showed great honour on behalf of both of his races. 

Olfin was now 60, but he felt young again. He started small, traveling around parts of the region he had been to before, this time gladly partaking in tourist traps. He then migrated to the other side of the canal, exploring those lands far and wide. After about a year, he built up the gumption to cross the ocean, yearning to climb the northern mountains, a wonder he had not been near any mountains during all his years at war. 

Olfin decided to put his skills to use and got a temporary job for an Orcish clan that he was not originally affiliated with that involved transferring goods across the ocean from south to north. This allowed him a free ride and, if nothing went wrong, he’d even be paid for it. 

For a while sailing was uneventful, but soon pirates raided the ship. It was Olfin’s loud Orcish commands and precise fighting that saved his life among all others. He then watched with awe as the madwoman known as Ardraya proceeded to slay her own entire crew. Fin boarded her ship and took the alternative free ride to the North shore, just the two of them navigating the waters. 

When they finally docked and stored the ship in Blumore, Fin suggested they start heading east to Tin lake for a nice fishing trip by the mountains. Before they could exit the city, they had an altercation with one of the Bornes brothers and his crew over... well, a murder and a ferret. What had Olfin gotten into and why did he think it was a good idea to travel with a barbarian Pirate?


End file.
